Capping-machine.



F. MUELLER & a. W. GWINN. I I

GAPPING MACHINE. I

7 APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1905.

Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. MUELLER & G. w; GWIN-N. GAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN'. 14, 1 0p.

91 5 992" Patented Mar. 23, 1909. h R I I 4 sung-sum a. 28, .21 23 4 I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I 0 I I HIGDII -I I j I .I' I I '}I ":I I I I" II Tr I I II I I I. I I II I I I, b2

I I II 1 I I I I I I I I I n II I I I} I I II I I II I I II I I I' I I II I 27 I I 85 r I 4/ :2 I 4 I I #5 I I I I 44 *E I I I 1 Ira/6%) warren arenas rlrrenr errata I .l ELIX :MUE'ILLER AND (i'JGOR(1"Il W. GWINN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TU STANDARD STOPPER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, l\'. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEXV-TERSEY.

CAPPING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent. Patented March 23, 1$09.

Application filed January 14, 1905. Serial No. 24:1,137.

To all ,whom it may concern:

' Be it known that we, FELIX N. G-WINN, a citizen of the United States, and both residents oi the city, county, and

State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Capping- I' Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the a'ccom 1 panymg' drawings, forming a partof the same.

This invention relates to certain improvenients in capping machines. 4

In machmcs employed to attachica s to receptacles by bendingor forcing the ange of the cap beneath a shoulder on the receptacle, it is desirable to provide means which will enable the cap flange bending or forcing devices'to operate readily on receptacles the outside diameters of'the shoulders of which vary somewhat. .l urthermore, in machines intended to o aerate upon glassreceptacles, it is alsh desirable to so construct the capping devices that provision will be made for irregularities in the circumferential outline of the shoulders, inasmuch. as even in receptacles made .in th same mold andintendcd to be substantial duplicates, considerable variation in outline occurs. f

One of the objects of this invention is to producean improved capping mechanism in which capping devices may readily operate duce an improved capping mechanism in which the capping devices will readily operate upon receptacles the shoulders of which A further object of the invention is to produce a capping mechanism which shall be simple, and, therefore, cheap in construction and which shall be efiective in operation.

With these and other objects not specifically stated in View, the invention consists in certain constructions, and in certain" parts, improvements'and combinations as Will be hereinafter fully described and specifically set forth.

. Referring to the drawings-Figured is a fronteleva'tion ofso much of a capping machine as will enable the invention to be understood. Fig. 2 is an elevation, on an MUELLER, a sub ect of. the German Emperor, and GEORGE enlarged scale, of the capping mechanism, certain parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the construction shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in a diii'erent position, the section, furthermore, illustrating the position in which the capping i mechanism is mounted in the machine. In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 indicates a frame in which the operative parts of the mechanism are mounted. The machine will include a rest or support upon iwhich the receptacle to be capped rests, 2 such a support being indicated at *2. The I machine in which the invention is embodied 1 is designed for attaching caps to recepi tacles, such, for instance, as bottles which i have shoulders surrounding the mouths, the flanges of the caps being forced underneath the shoulders so as to lock the caps in 1 sealed relation with the bottles.

' The devices for forcing the flange of the cap underneath theshoulder oi the receptacle may be v'arled IIICOIlStlllCtIOD and will vary according to the construction in which the invention is embodied. In the particular construction shown, these devices i consist of a'series of pivoted levers 3 which j are provided with spinning wheels 4:. While i i l i 7 extending therefromto which the levers are pivoted by pins 8.

" In the particular constructionv shown, means are provided for forcing the cap down onto the receptacle just prior to the time when the cap flange forcing devices come into operation. These means consist, in the particular construction shown, of a head 9 having a stem 10 which extends up through the capping mecha ism, the stem being guided at its upper end by a nut 11 which is screwed into the upper end of the outer casing 12 in which the several parts are mounted; In the articular construction shown, the upper endbf the head is threaded 15 formed groove in the nut 11, or in any other in construction, but will preferably include .a member which yieldingly forces these de a conical ring 15.

the" means for mounting this con cal ring so not only a yielding movement but also a 15 is made larger than the stem which 'it bearing.

which the receptacle rests.

inwardly bent end 16 of the lovers 3.

, them into operative relation with the flange 00 upon the receptacle by the head.

and is pro vided with a nut 13 by which the 1 position of the head with respect to the cap I flange forcing devices may be adjusted, the protrusion of the head through the cap flange 1,

b forcing devices being controlled by the position of the nut.

In the )articular conis truction shown, the head will be arranged in 1 a generally vertical position, so that it is free I to drop through the nut 11, the amount of it) the drop being determined by the position i of the nut 13. In the particular construction shown, the head is held against rotation, this being effected by providing'the head 9 witha feather 14 which takes into a suitably suitable manner.

The means for causing the cap flange forcing devices to o eratively engage the flange of the cap may e considerably varied vices against the flange of the cap. The construction of this member may be varied within wide limits. As shown, it consists of In the best constructions,

as to yieid'ingly force the cap fiange'forcing devices against the flange of the cap will be of such a character that the ring will have tipping movement. While the means by which the member is mounted in order to ac-- compiish the desired functions may be widely varied, shown, the bore of the ring surrounds, and it is forced against the ends of the levers 8 which preferably bent inward at their upper ends, as shown at 16, .by means of a spring 17.

end against a collar 18 which rests against the head Qand at its other end bears against a plate 19 on which an anti-friction bearing 20, the conical member 15 resting on this of the cap which at this time is forced down it Will be understood that in the particular construc- .tion shown, the cone shaped member and spring will properly force the cap flange forcing devices into operative relation with the This spring, in the 40 particular construction shown, hours at one flange of the cap, where the shoulders of the receptacles to which the caps are applied vary in diameter within limits, the yield of the spring being proportionately greater, the greater the diameter of the shoulder on the bottle or other receptacle upon which the bending devices are to act.

Devices will preferably be employed for limiting the upward movement of the head and stem. While these devices may vary in cor. uruction, they will preferably be adjustable. in the particular construction shown, a stop screw 21 is employed for this purpose, this stop screw being tapped through an opening in a bracket 2'2 which rises from the nut 11 before referred to, the screw being locked in position bya lock nut 23, if this be thought desirable. In the operation of the machine this screw will be adjustable so as to allow the greatest upward movement of the stem necessary, that is to say, the amount which necessarily takes place when a receptacle having a shoulder of small diameter is inserted in the machine.

\Vhen, as in the construction shown, the

cap flange forcing devices are spinning devices, it is of course necessary to produce a relative rotating movement. between the receptacle 'and said devices. While this may be effected in any suitable manner, in the construction selected to illustrate the invention, it is effected by rotating the cap flange forcing devices. The particular means employed for rotating the cap flange forcing de- Vices may be varied widely in construction. As shown, the carrier 5 is provided with a gear 24 which gear is inm'csh with a gear 25 carried on a vertical shaft 26, the casing 12 being slotted in order to permit the engagement' of these gears. This vertical shaft'26 is supported in the frame of the machine and the gear 25 is in mesh with a long pinion ,27 mounted on a shaft 28, this shaft being provided at its upper end with a beveled gerr 2t) which is in mesh with a bcvcl gear 30 carried on a counter shaft 31 suitably supported in the frame of the machine. provided with a gear 32 which is driven from the main driving gear 33, this gear being driven in any suitable manner, as by a pulley, not shown. Itwill be understood thai when the gearing just described is set in mo tion, the carrier will be rotated and thc spinning wheels will be rotated around a cap held on the bottle or other mccptacle'bythe head 9. This rotation will necessarily be rapid, and the centrifugal force generated will tend to throw the levers 3 carrying the spinning wheels outward. In order to prevent an excessive outward movement of these wheels, each of the levers is or may be provided with a stop pin 34 which strikes against the downwardly projecting arms 6 of the carrier.

In the preferred construction of the ma- This shaft 31 isrhino, the head will be rotating at the time when: the receptacle 1s inserted into the ca ping mechanism. When this occurs, tic

cone-shaped ring will be moved upward, as 7 shown in Fig. 4, thus forcing the spinning wheels inward against the flange of the cap,

as clearly shown in that figure. It will be seen, as hasboen before polnted out, that the-inward 1novcment efi'ected by the cone shaped member will depend upon thediam etcr of the shoulder of the article to be capped, the spring 17 yieldingmore the larger the diameter of the shoulder. Furthermore, it will be seen that the construction is such as to allow a compensating movement of the cap flange forcing devices for irregularities 1n the shoulder of the receptaole. If, for Instance, in its movement, one

of the spinning wheels 4 strikes an enlarge ment on the receptacle'asthe' wheels travel around the shoulder of the .recetacley the cone will be moved laterally'untl its up er edge finds a fulcrum point on the stem, a ter which the cone may tip around this fulcrum point, the spring permitting this tipping movement. As soon, however, as the spin ning wheel has passed the enlargement on the shoulder, the spring will force the cone to resume itsnormal position. i

The means by which the receptacle is brought into the range of action ofthe cap: ping mechanism may be widely varied, it being possible to effect this function either by moving the capping mechanism or sup porter by moving both. construction shown, the capping mechanism is made movable. Whenthe ca ping mechanism ismade movable to bring t e receptacle within the range of action of the capping devices, the particular mechanism employed for thispurpose may be variously constructed and arranged. As shown, the easing 12 has an openin therethrough through which passes a cross ar 35'. To-this crossbarare' secured connecting-rods 36, these rods being in turn secured to cranks 37 mounted on an o eratin shaft 38 suitabl supported in the rame, t is being the shaft .on which the gear 33 is mounted. As the shaft 38 rotates, the capping mechanism will be given a reci rocating movement, and

this movement ta es place without interrupting the driving of the carrier in which the cap flange forcing devices are mount ed, the long inion 27 ermltting a vc-rtlcal movement of the capplngmechanism with-- out disengaging this pinion and the gear 25*. While the gravity of the head and stem might be depended upon to retain the head inits protruded position with respect to the cap flange forcin devices, in the preferred construction, an especially when it is desired to make a hermetic seal betweenthe cap and the mouth of the receptacle by means and or automaticall In the particular of an introduced cork disk, spring will be employed against the tension of which the head isliftcd. In the .ronstruction shown, this spring is marked 39am! bears against the undersido otthe nut ll'and against a collar 40 carried. on the stenr.

The carrier before referred to may be held in position in any suitable way. As shown, the stem is guided through it, the carrier being. held in. position by means of a block 41, anti-friction bearings 42, 43'being provided to reducet-he friction of the turning movement. The caps may be dpresented to the capping mechanism in any esired manner,'tl1at is to say, they may be placed uponthe receptacle and carried by it .mto the capping mechan ism, or they maybe supported in the caplping mechanism, being fed to it either by 1 In the construction shown, the caps are esigned to be fed auto matically to the'capping mechanism and are supported therein in such a manner that when the bottle is brought into the range of action of the cap ing mechanism it carries gvhile' this may be effected in any desired manner, in the construction shown, theorising-44 is cut away at its bottom on one side to form "a passage 45, this passage being continued u ward in a curved path through the si'dewal pf thecasing, as clearly shown, in order'that a chutc'down which the; caps are fed may be placed in communication therewith. "Afblock 46 is provided which'has a flared opening therein which communicates with the channel 45. The opening in this block 46 is large enough to'permit the receptacle to enter'therein, but not large enough to allow the cap topass down through it. This block 46 is shown as pivoted on a screw 47 and is heldin position by a spring pin 48 which permits theblock to be swung to one side in order thataccess 'may be had to the channel 45 for clean ng or other urposcs, Whi e the mechanism illustrated and which has just been. described forms an eflective means forcarrying out the'in'vention, it is to be understood that the invention' may be embodied in mechanism which,

-tion with a head, of a plurality of cap applying devices, means for producing a relative 1 movementbetween thearms and a ca held in ed to have yielding and tipping movementsi tion With: a

rotating movement between a cap held by I the bead and the cap applying devices, and means for moving said devices toward the cap, said means including a member 1n0.unt-.

3. In a capping mechanism, the combination with a head, of a pluralityof pivoted arm's, means for producing a relative rotating movement between a cap held by the head-- and the pivoted arms, flange bending means 1 carried by the arms, and a spring supported conical member for rockingv the arms to' force the bending means into 0 erative relation with the flange of a cap he (1 in position by the head. I i

4. In a ca ping mechanism, the combination with a. ead of a plurality of pivoted arms, flange bending 'devices carried by the arms, and-a conical member mounted to have yielding and tipping-'movements for forcing the bending means. intoo erative relation with the flange of a cap he d in position by the head. i p a 5. Ina ca ping mechanism, tl1e-;eombinahead of a plurality of pivoted 'arms,"flarige ben in devices carried by the arms, means for producing. a relative rotating position by the head, a conical mem er having an open interior, a guide for the member passing through the interior'of the conical member and spaced therefrom, and a's'pring for supporting the conical member. 6. In a ca ping mechanism, the combination with a 'ead, of a'plurality of pivot-ed arms, cap bending dev-ices carried by the arms, means-for rotating the arms with respect to the cap held in position by the head,

a conical member having an open interior for moving the arms to force the bending devices into operative IGliltlOIlfWltll the flange of a cap, a guide passing through the interior of the member andspaced therefrom, a support for the member, anti-friction bearings between the member and the support, and a spring on which the support rests.

7. In a capping mechanism, the combination with a ljiead mounted to have a longitudinal movement, of adjustal'ile means for limiting said movement. a plurality of rotating cap applying devices. and yielding means for moving said devices toward a cup held in z positionby the head. i

H. In a capping mechanism/the combinaiion with a head mounted to have a longi- E tud ual movement, of ad ustable means for lnnltmg said movement, a plurality of cap applying devices, and a member mounted to ave yielding and tipping iiiovemonts for forcing the cap applying devices into operativc position with respect to the flange of the cap held by the head.

9. In a capping mechanism, the combination with a head, of a stem on which the head is carried, said head and stem being mounted tion with the flange of the cap held. by the head, and a spring intermediate the head and the conical member.

10. In a capping mechanism, the combination with a head, of a stem on which the head is carried, said head andstem being mounted to have a longitudinal movement, adjusting means for limiting said movement, a plurality of arms having tlange bending means mounted thcreon,.mcans for producing a rotating movement between the arms and the head, a conical member surrounding the stem and guided thereby for moving the arms to bring the bending devices into operative relation with the flange of the cap held by the head, said member being spaced from the stem, and a spring intermediate the head and the conical member.

11. The combination with a head, of a' stem on which thehead is carried, said head and stem being mounted to have a longitudinal movement, adjustable means for limiting said movement, a spring against the tension of.which the longitudinal movement'takes place, a plurality of pivoted arms carrying cap flange bending devices, a conical ring for moving thearms to throw the bending devices into 0 erative relation with the flange of a cap he l, by the head, said ring surrounding the stem and being spaced therefrom, a support for the ring, an anti-friction device between the ring and support, and a spring intermediate. the head and the support.

In testimonjwhereof, we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FELIX. MUELLER. GEORGE W. GIVINN.

Witnesses:

J. A. GRAVES, A. WHITE. 

